Sean O’Malley Predicted to Lose Title Rematch Fight by Top Ranked Bantamweight: ‘No Business Fighting Merab’

Sean O’Malley might be stepping away from social media to focus on preparations for a highly anticipated rematch with Merab Dvalishvili, but according to his peers, his efforts are in vain. A day after Aljamain Sterling cast doubt on O’Malley’s ability to make any significant changes in time for the rematch, Cory Sandhagen has joined the chorus of skeptics, dismissing the fight altogether.

Sandhagen, who believes it’s his time to hit the octagon with the champion doesn’t understand the logic behind why the UFC would even want to go down that dusty road again.

“O’Malley has no business fighting Merab for an immediate rematch. He got beat up in the first fight, and he’s gonna get beat up in the second fight. No one wants to see that fight.”

 

The consensus is clear, Merab is operating on a different level. His relentless pace, unmatched cardio, and superior wrestling make him a nightmare matchup for anyone in the division. Fans and fighters alike point to his victory over Umar Nurmagomedov, a fighter widely regarded for his well-rounded skillset, as proof of his dominance.

For O’Malley to stand a chance, he’ll need a knockout and improved takedown defense to avoid the suffocating pressure Merab brings to the octagon. In their first fight, Merab exploited ‘Suga’s’ weaknesses, and without a significant evolution in his game, history is likely to repeat itself.

Since his fight with Merab, O’Malley has had hip surgery and has been on the mend since. And Merab wants to return to the octagon in April. So, even if ‘Suga’ starts camp in February, he will have a little more than two months to dial his grappling and cardio up to 11. That’s just not enough time.

But if O’Malley is not a good fit for Merab’s next title defense, who is? It turns out, after dismissing O’Malley, ‘The Sandman‘ is shooting his own shot

Sandhagen has a plan

Unlike O’Malley or Umar for that matter, Sandhagen doesn’t want to jump the gun and run into Merab without enough preparation time. He is coming off of a #1 contender loss to Umar and doesn’t believe he should immediately get a shot at the title, which is why he has a plan.

The top contender believes his path to UFC gold starts with a victory over O’Malley and ends with a title showdown against Merab.

“I should be next in line….I don’t think that I should get a title shot off an immediate loss… Say whatever you want about my style, but what you have to say about it is I probably have the best footwork in the division.”

Known for his elite striking, dynamic movement, and tactical precision, he believes his skillset would be too much for O’Malley to handle. Hopefully, the UFC can get the signatures on the dotted lines for this exciting matchup.